Wawel Castle

Since the XI century, the Royal Castle at the Wawel Hill has held a long, complicated history, making it a very popular Krakow attraction for both Polish and foreign tourists. For many centuries was the castle served as the home of Polish royalty seat. Despite the difficult Polish and Poles situation during the Partitions of Poland and World War II, the castle and its treasures are preserved in very good condition.

Exhibitions at Wawel Castle
At Wawel Castle there are several must-see areas for visitors. First off, you can tour the state rooms that feature superb tapestries of Zygmunt the Old, set amongst rich furnishings selected from ancient furniture collections. For those interested in military history, the treasury and armoury displays examples of ornamental swords and other fighting equipment from down the ages.

Wawel also features artwork collections of unique character and historical value. In the royal chambers, among the rich furniture, you can view an impressive collection of tapestries from the time of King Sigismund the Old. The collection includes an exhibition showing the development of Wawel Castle and the city over the centuries. There, you can admire the Wawel castle model before the invasion of the Austrians in 1795, and the documentation of archaeological activities carried out in the hills. A huge interest is the royal cathedral (Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Wenceslas), together with brass Sigismund Bell, which is the mausoleum of Polish kings. The attraction for younger visitors is the Dragon's Den, where according to legend, once lived Krakow's Wawel Dragon.

The museum also hosts an exhibition charting the growth of the castle and the city through the centuries. There you’ll find a model of the Wawel Castle as it was before the invasion of the Austrians in 1795, with documentation of the several decades of archaeology undertaken on the hills also on display.

Wawel Castle is open to visitors every day except Christmas and bank holidays. Ticket offices are located in the visitor center at the castle. Information about the exhibitions, opening hours and reservation possibility can be obtained by phone (+48 12) 422 51 55 ext. 219 or by email: informacja@wawel.edu.pl.

Staying at Park Inn by Radisson Krakow Hotel
The Park Inn Krakow is ideally situated for exploring the older parts of the city, including Wawel Castle and the Rynek Glówny, Krakow market square. Located in the city centre of Krakow, the hotel is within walking distance of the castle and other attractions such as the Jewish district of Kazimeierz.